Iran has condemned France’s decision to expel two Iranian diplomats, calling the move illegal and unhelpful to bilateral relations.

Tehran said the expulsions came in response to Iran’s decision to ban two French diplomats, escalating tensions between the two countries.

Protesters in Tunisia clashed with police during demonstrations following the sinking of a migrant boat.

The incident sparked anger and renewed concerns over migrant safety and the handling of migration routes.

His Majesty King Abdullah II held talks with China President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Monday, during which they discussed opportunities to bolster the Strategic Partnership between Jordan and China, as well as recent regional and global developments.

During the talks, attended by Their Royal Highnesses Prince Hashem bin Abdullah II and Princess Salma bint Abdullah II, His Majesty affirmed the deep-rooted ties between the two countries spanning almost 50 years, built on a foundation of shared values, mutual respect, and effective cooperation in the political, economic, and humanitarian spheres.

The King emphasised Jordan’s readiness to expand cooperation with China in numerous fields, noting that the stops on his visit, which included Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, resulted in productive discussions on opportunities to deepen economic cooperation in key sectors such as agriculture, pharmaceuticals, food and engineering industries, tourism, education, and culture.

His Majesty added that the cooperation agreements and memoranda of understanding signed today between the two countries are a testament to their shared determination to continue building on their strong ties. The King also expressed Jordan’s deep respect for the model of development and economic growth exemplified by China, and for its leadership on the international stage.

The talks also touched on regional developments, with His Majesty underscoring Jordan and China’s alignment on the importance of reaching comprehensive de-escalation and stability in the Middle East, in order to achieve peace and prosperity for all its peoples.

For his part, President Xi said that over 49 years of diplomatic relations, China and Jordan have always respected each other, treated each other as equals, and pursued mutually beneficial cooperation. The Chinese president also noted that developing a China-Jordan relationship with even greater substance and vitality meets the joint aspirations of both of their peoples.

He expressed China’s readiness to carry forward the two countries’ tradition of friendship, increase strategic mutual trust, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, and intensify coordination.

President Xi also emphasised the importance of reaching a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue on the basis of the two-state solution, commending Jordan’s role in working to bring stability to the region, and expressing his country’s support for the Hashemite Custodianship over Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Director of the Office of His Majesty Alaa Batayneh, Minister of Industry, Trade, and Supply Yarub Qudah, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Saleh Kharabsheh, Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship Sami Smeirat, Jordan’s Ambassador to China Hussam Husseini, and China’s Ambassador to Jordan Guo Wei attended the talks.

Torrential rains continued to lash southern Taiwan over the weekend, causing widespread flooding across several southern cities and counties. In Kaohsiung, a sinkhole opened in a road due to the downpours, and an excavator partially fell into it during repair work.

Every morning Harka Man Gharti slices into the blue water of a swimming pool in Nepal's capital Kathmandu, chasing a dream that stretches far beyond its 25 metres.

Unlike the swimmers around him who rely on long strokes of their arms, Gharti powers through his legs and torso because he does not have arms.

The 21-year-old is training with three other disabled swimmers who will represent Nepal in the Asian Para Games in Japan in October, chasing medals despite limited resources in the Himalayan country.

The Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus sentenced Ahmed Hassoun, Syria's former Grand Mufti under deposed leader Bashar al-Assad, to life imprisonment on Monday.

Hassoun, who served as Syria's highest Muslim cleric for 16 years, was convicted of inciting civil war and sectarian strife, exploiting his public position, and providing religious and moral legitimacy for crimes committed against civilians.

His Majesty King Abdullah II and China Premier Li Qiang, during a meeting in Beijing on Monday, discussed ways to further develop Jordan-China relations across key areas.

His Majesty emphasised that Jordanian-Chinese ties have gone from strength to strength since the establishment of diplomatic relations some five decades ago, which were elevated to the level of a Strategic Partnership in 2015, noting that China is a very important economic partner for Jordan.

The King spoke about his visit to China over the past several days, during which he noted that the Jordanian delegation has been meeting with representatives of Chinese businesses to discuss investment and partnership opportunities and explore the many opportunities for expanding economic cooperation between the two countries, emphasising that the Kingdom has a great deal to offer to this economic partnership, and that there are enormous opportunities for growth.

His Majesty added that Jordan is keen to expand cooperation with China in tourism, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and food and engineering industries, as well as many other fields.

For his part, Premier Li said China-Jordan relations remain sound under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, and that development efforts in recent years show the fruitful results of the practical cooperation between the two countries. He affirmed that there is every reason to believe that the China-Jordan friendship will be carried forward and grow stronger through one generation to the next, noting the importance of the King’s visit in strengthening trust and consolidating bilateral ties.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Director of the Office of His Majesty Alaa Batayneh, Minister of Industry, Trade, and Supply Yarub Qudah, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Saleh Kharabsheh, Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship Sami Smeirat, Jordan’s Ambassador to China Hussam Husseini, and China’s Ambassador to Jordan Guo Wei attended the meeting.

Storms which drifted inland from Lake Erie brought heavy rain and hail to northeast Ohio on Sunday.

Footage here released by the Chardon Fire Department shows a severe hailstorm rattling the city of Chardon, where a severe thunderstorm warning was issued.

The fire department said the hail was “short-lived” and about “pea to dime-sized,” and that the downpour had caused some street flooding on Chardon Square.

The Tunisian National Guard announced that 12 bodies had been recovered after a boat carrying 15 migrants sank off the coast of Zarzis in southeastern Tunisia, while search operations are still underway for two missing people.

The National Guard said the boat sank late Friday about 14 nautical miles off the coast. Only one migrant survived, while three bodies were recovered Saturday and nine on Sunday.

A video circulating on social media shows what appears to be a man seeing his brother’s body floating in the sea.

The man was constantly shouting “My brother! My brother!” in the video.

Tunisia is a major departure point for Italy's Lampedusa, which is only 145 kilometers away.

A wildfire spreads northwest of Reno, Nevada, close to the California state line, forcing thousands to evacuate the area.